On the Rocks

Stopped in on a Monday night, service and food was great! We really liked the jalapeno cheese sticks and the broccoli cheese bites for appetizers. Good beer selection and atmosphere as well

Scale = 0 to 5

Atmosphere:  4.0   Three flat screens directly above the bar make for a good viewing and easily transitioning of your attention from 1 game to the next.   The place is always clean, and the bathrooms are about as well kept as a bar can be expected to.   The only problem is the lack of space.   This is not much of a problem if you are there during normal hours, but if you partake of the nightlife here (which is a great exprience), prepare to be crowded like no other place.   Would love to see them expand into another compartment and double their size.  Very small stage for musical guests and I wish they would have more original bands come in and play, but bars typically go for cover bands anyway.  

Beer:  4.0  Pretty decent selection.   They do have some nice ones like Sweet Water 420 on tap, and a rotating tap that has been home to Magic Hat #9, Old Black Bear and Angry Orchard to name a few.   Also have a pretty good selection of bottles and cans.  Recently got in the Straight to Ale Monkeynaut and that has only upped my opinion of the selection.  Such a great beer.    I generally do not comment on mixed drink, as I rarely get them, but my wife says she likes their drinks, but there is a lack of consistency among the bartenders -- which they are human, so I can understand that.  I assume the goal is to close that gap.  

Food:  4.5   The only reason I do not give this a 5 is because I would like to see a few more entries on the menu that stray away from typical bar food.   But as others have mentioned, for typical bar food, this is about as good as it gets.   The chicken tenders are wonderful, the homemade chips keep me coming back, the jalapeno cheesesticks are a nice twist on an old favorite and the burger with the fried egg may be the best burger in the shoals.    Remember too, they often have things that are not on the menu.   I think at least one day a week they do tacos, and I have had gumbo there before as well.  

Service 4.7   I have literally been here 100's of times.   98% of the time I have had excellent service, even when terribly crowded.    These guys pride themselves on customer experience.   Their waitresses are great, but for a real experience, sit at the bar.   Every bar tender they have there, that I have had the pleasure of meeting, has been great.   Very attentive and treats you well.    

Overall:  Probably my favorite place in Florence.   Not just as a bar, but as a restaurant as well.    If these guys keep doing what they are doing, they will continue to be the premier hangout.

Nice, dimly lit atmosphere & cool music. I had their jalopeno cheese sticks which were very hot!  Luckily the marinara that they came with was the best I've ever had and cooled them off sufficiently.  Yum!  This'll probably be a new stop for me when I'm in Florence.